Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/533



PEAK FOREST CANAL.
34 George III. Cap. 26, Royal Assent 28th March, 1794

39 &amp; 40 George III. Cap. 38, Royal Assent 30th May, 1800.

45 George III. Cap. 12, Royal Assent 18th March, 1805.

THE Peak Forest Canal commences in the Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham Canal, to the west of the town of Ashton-under-Lyne; at this point it crosses the Tame River, and following a direction nearly parallel to the course of that river, continues for some miles upon the same level; it next branches off by Butterhouse Green and Chadkirk to Hyde Bank Tunnel; it then crosses the Mersey a little below Water Meetings, by an aqueduct 90 feet high; passing this aqueduct it arrives at the parish of Marple, where it rises 212 feet by means of sixteen locks to the summit level, which extends to Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth; at the top lock of this summit it is joined by the Macclesfield Canal. At Bugsworth a railway commences, which passing by Chapel Milton and Chapel Townend, where there is an inclined plane six hundred yards long, rising 4 inches per yard, proceeds to Limestone Rock in Peak Forest, a distance of seven miles with a rise of about three-eighths of an inch per yard throughout its whole length, deducting, of course, that part occupied by the inclined plane above-mentioned.

The first act for this work was obtained in 1794, under the title of 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from and out of the Canal Navigation from Manchester to or near Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham, in the county palatine of Lancaster, at the intended Aqueduct Bridge in Duckenfleld, in the county of Chester, to or near to Chapel Milton, in the county of Derby; and a Communication by Railways or Stone Roads from thence to Load's Knowl, within Peak Forest, in the said county of Derby; and a Branch from and out of the said intended Canal to Whaley Bridge, in the said county of Chester.' By this act the proprietors, who are incorporated as "The Company of Proprietors of the Peak Forest Canal," are empowered to make the canal and railroad, with all necessary works belonging to the same. By the act also Mr. Hodgson is empowered to make tunnels under